Shipping freight to Mexico: how it works and what it costs
Most freight between the US and Mexico moves by truck through a handful of Texas, Arizona and California border crossings. Here's how a shipment gets across, the paperwork on each side, and what the US leg to the border really costs.
Short answer: Freight to Mexico usually travels by truck to a US border city such as Laredo, McAllen–Pharr or El Paso, crosses with a carrier authorized to operate on both sides, and is delivered in Mexico by a Mexican carrier, either transloaded or in the same trailer. The US exporter may need to file EEI, and a licensed Mexican customs broker files the pedimento and pays duties and IVA for the importer. In September 2025 – August 2026, domestic LTL shipments of 1,000 to 2,499 lb to and from US border areas had a median all-in price of $500 for the US leg alone.
Updated November 2, 2026 · By the GetShippingRates team at Armstrong Transport Group
How a shipment gets from the US to Mexico
- US leg. LTL or truckload from the pickup to a border city, often to a cross-dock or the customs broker’s warehouse.
- Customs on both sides. US export filing where required; the Mexican customs broker files the pedimento and pays duties and IVA for the importer.
- The crossing. A short-haul carrier authorized on both sides takes the trailer across the bridge to a yard in Mexico.
- Mexico leg. A Mexican carrier delivers, either in the same trailer (through-trailer) or after transloading into its own equipment.
Truck freight crosses mainly at Laredo, the Rio Grande Valley (McAllen–Pharr), El Paso, Nogales and Otay Mesa (San Diego). The crossing that fits depends on where in Mexico the freight is going: Laredo for Monterrey, the Bajío and Mexico City, El Paso for Ciudad Juárez, Otay Mesa for Tijuana and Baja California.
The documents each side needs
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Describe the goods, their value, quantities and weights. Mexican customs works from them; include Spanish descriptions where you can.
- US export filing (EEI)
- Electronic Export Information is filed in AES when any Schedule B line is worth more than $2,500 or the goods need an export license.
- Pedimento
- Mexico's import declaration, filed by a licensed Mexican customs broker (agente aduanal) for the importer. Duties and Mexico's value-added tax (IVA) are paid with it.
- Importer registration
- The Mexican importer generally must be listed in Mexico's importer registry (Padrón de Importadores) before goods can clear.
- Carta Porte
- Mexico requires an electronic invoice with the Carta Porte complement for goods moving on its roads. The Mexican carrier or the shipper issues it.
- USMCA certification of origin
- Lets qualifying US, Mexican or Canadian goods claim preferential duty treatment. Without it, standard duties apply.
- Product rules
- Some goods need Mexican labeling standards (NOMs), permits or inspections. Check before the freight leaves.
A summary, not legal or customs advice. Requirements depend on the goods and change; your customs broker has the final word.
What LTL to and from the border costs
The US part of a Mexico shipment often ends at a border warehouse. These are domestic LTL prices for shipments picked up or delivered in US border areas, Armstrong Transport Group’s own history. They don’t include the crossing, the Mexican leg, broker fees, duties or IVA.
| Shipment weight | US leg, all-in |
|---|---|
| Under 500 lb | $315$235–$420 |
| 500–999 lb | $435$305–$610 |
| 1,000–2,499 lb | $500$355–$735 |
| 2,500–4,999 lb | $770$565–$1,150 |
| 5,000–9,999 lb | $1,100$760–$1,560 |
| 10,000–20,000 lb | $1,755$1,315–$2,565 |
Historical benchmark, not a quote. 3,774 LTL shipments to or from US border areas arranged by Armstrong Transport Group, picked up September 2025 – August 2026. Middle 50% of the all-in price billed to the shipper (linehaul, fuel and accessorials), median in bold, rounded to $5. How these are built.
Where those shipments were picked up or delivered:
- Rio Grande Valley, TX (McAllen, Pharr, Brownsville): 1,248 shipments
- Laredo, TX: 1,150 shipments
- San Diego area, CA (Otay Mesa): 829 shipments
- El Paso, TX: 465 shipments
- Tucson and Nogales, AZ: 82 shipments
The US leg only, from real shipments in September 2025 – August 2026. Useful to sanity-check the domestic part of a cross-border quote.
The whole move for your lane and date: the US leg, the crossing and delivery in Mexico. Ask in the form below; Armstrong’s team lays out the options.
Shipping overseas instead? See international air and ocean freight. Moving a full trailer to the border? Compare LTL vs truckload.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to ship a pallet to Mexico?
It's three prices: the US leg to the border, the crossing, and delivery in Mexico, plus customs broker fees, duties and IVA. For the US leg alone, domestic LTL shipments under 500 lb to and from US border areas had a median of $315 and 1,000 to 2,499 lb a median of $500 (September 2025 – August 2026). The crossing and Mexican leg are quoted live for your lane.
Do I need a Mexican customs broker?
Imports into Mexico are generally cleared through a licensed Mexican customs broker (agente aduanal), who files the pedimento for the importer of record. Most Mexican importers already have one; if yours doesn't, say so in your quote request.
What is the Carta Porte?
An electronic invoice (CFDI) with a Carta Porte complement that Mexico requires for goods moving on its federal roads. It describes the cargo, origin, destination and carrier. The Mexican carrier or the shipper issues it, and freight without it can be stopped.
Does USMCA mean no duties?
Goods that meet USMCA rules of origin and carry a certification of origin can claim preferential, often duty-free, treatment. Goods that don't qualify pay Mexico's standard duty rates, and IVA applies to most imports either way.
Can LTL freight go to Mexico?
Yes. LTL shipments are usually consolidated at a border warehouse and crossed with other freight, then delivered by a Mexican carrier. Full truckloads can cross in the same trailer or be transloaded at the border.
More shipping cost guides
Get a quote for a Mexico shipment
Tell us the pickup city in the US, the delivery city in Mexico, what you're shipping (pallets, weight, dimensions, commodity) and whether you already work with a Mexican customs broker. Armstrong's team replies with the options for your lane.
Prefer to talk? Call 877-240-1181 or email info@getshippingrates.com. Shipping several modes? Request a free multimodal shipping review.